Chapter Ninety Five

**Gabriela**

I sat there on the bed staring at the wall, not sure about what to say or how to feel. My tears had dried while Enzo was explaining to me that my father was dead and how he had died. To think his own wife would do that to him just because he was broke now.

And what had happened to Ivy? Not once has he mentioned her and when I did bring her up he didn’t know and neither did Charlie, apparently. It was like she just vanished into thin air or something. But she was the least of my worries. With my father gone, what did this mean for me? And with him gone, doesn’t that mean the marriage contract between me and Dario is null and void?

And if that was the case, then why was Dario doing all this?

I frown, looking over at him as he carefully watches me. “Does Dario know that my father is dead?”

It was just for a moment, but I caught it, nonetheless. He slightly tenses before he relaxes again. He takes a deep breath before telling me the next part of this awful information I was receiving.

“He does. In fact, and this is even the harder part I think, Elena conspired with him to murder your father. Afterwards he made sure he didn’t have any loose ends on his part.”

I frown even deeper at his meaning. I thought about his words slowly and understanding came to me. “Are you telling me that Elena is dead as well?” I whisper.

To be honest I wasn’t that shocked. Dario was definitely the type of man that would do something like that. Thinking about how he treated me when I was kidnapped by him sent shivers of disgust and fear down my spine and I couldn’t help the small shake to my body.

Enzo immediately sat up, wincing as he does but continues to move forward until our faces were just mere inches apart from one another. “Listen to me Gabby. I’m never going to let him near you again. Whatever he did, whatever he said to you, it’s never going to happen. I left you unprotected like an idiot, and I won’t make that same mistake twice.”

He gently slips his hand to the back of my neck, pulling me closer until our foreheads touch. “I promise you that with my very soul.” He whispers.

But it wasn’t me that I was worried about. It was him that highly concerned me. He had almost died twice because of what the asshole was doing and now the love of my life was lying in a hospital bed with a thick bandage around his head, hurt. I couldn’t help the fresh tears gathering in my eyes thinking about what I had almost lost.

And now we have a baby to worry about.

I open my mouth to tell him the news I just barely found out myself, but at that moment a loud groan interrupts our moment, causing us both to look over where Domenico was beginning to stir. He slowly sits up and hisses with the pain I knew he must be going through. He grabs his head and sighs deeply before finally looking over to us.

“You look like shit.” Was Enzo’s first statement to him.

Dom grunts, trying to smile, only wincing again. “Look who’s talking.” He mumbles and tries to stand up.

“You should stay lying down.” I reprimanded him as I got up to walk over and push him back on the bed.

He doesn’t fight me like I thought he would, maybe because he was in lot more pain than he was letting on and was glad someone was forcing him to take it easy. After a few moments of relaxing the cousins finally face each other.

“So…what happened?” Dom was the first to ask.

“I wanted to ask you that.”

“I was kidnapped, obviously. You found the bracelet, didn’t you.” It wasn’t really a question as it was a statement.

“Of course I found it. When you didn’t come back from the fields, I knew something was wrong. You knew I would come looking for you otherwise you wouldn’t have left it behind.” Enzo scoffs.

Coming back to him, I force him to lie back as well. “I’ll get you both something to eat and let the two of you talk.” I tell them.

I go to leave the room when he calls out my name. “Gabby?” Turning back I find him wearing a deep frown. “About your father-” he starts off, but I quickly cut his words before he could finish the sentence.

“I’ll be okay, Enzo. He may have been my father, but he was never there while growing up. I’m…sad in a way, but I’m not really that broken up about what happened. I hate to say this but…I’m honestly relieved.”

Being with my father was nothing but heartache and suppression. I felt trapped and caged under his roof and forcing an unwanted marriage was proof of that. I wasn’t lying when I said he was never there while growing up. He was never a father to me, even to the day he died. I just hated on the way he left this world. To be betrayed by your own wife because you were no longer rich was horrible. He may have been a hard man, but he didn’t deserve to go out like the way he did.

“If you need anything, I’m always here for you. I’m not going anywhere.” He softly tells me, making me smile at the love he was showing in those gorgeous eyes of his.

“I know. I’ll be right back with your food.” I say once more and gently close the door to leave the two of them to talk.